Details

• United States of America
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

My advice to prepare for UTD is that once you receive your assignment to UTD from WU and get in touch with the international office at UT Dallas, my biggest advice is simple: read every email you receive carefully and keep an eye on the deadlines. I know it feels overwhelming at first, but working through them carefully and following the suggested steps makes the whole process easy and manageable. One thing I'd especially flag is the visa appointment, which should be booked early and the language proficiency. Regarding language proficiency: even though WU offers a confirmation letter, UT Dallas doesn't accept it. I'd strongly recommend taking the Duolingo English Test instead. It's quick, convenient, and UT Dallas does accept it, so it saves you a lot of money and stress. Once you get your UT Dallas email account, log into Outlook straight away, stay up to date with emails coming in from both sides (UTD and WU). As long as you stay organized and proactive, preparation really isn't as stressful as it might seem. For travelling, I would recommend a plane with a layover in Europe, as there is no direct flight. If you book a layover in the US, keep in mind that immigration can take time!

2. Accommodation

I would strongly recommend going with the on-campus housing that UT Dallas provides for exchange students. The application is straightforward and done entirely online, and it's the best decision you can make. It is not just for convenient, but because all the other internationals and exchange students from Europe and beyond are living there too. You get in touch with that community immediately, which makes everything so much easier. Still, one should know that the housing is about a ten to fifteen-minute walk from the main campus, where your classes will be. But it really isn't a big deal, and it's a nice way to get some steps in each day. As for the rooms themselves, you get your own private room and share a kitchen with three others and a bathroom with one other. Nothing fancy, but perfectly comfortable and more than enough for a semester abroad. Off-campus alternatives exist, but they tend to be more expensive and far less convenient, so I'd say it's simply not worth it. Stay on campus and get close to the exchange student community.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus itself is nice and currently expanding with two new buildings in construction. The library is solid and more than sufficient for your needs, even if it doesn't quite match the scale of WU's Bib back in Vienna. In terms of academic culture, the overall level is easier than what you're used to at WU. The biggest difference is the grading structure: forget the one or two exams that basically determine your entire grade like at WU. At UTD it's much more continuous and cumulative: participation, group projects, weekly assignments, and homework after almost every session. It can feel a bit exhausting at times, but it really depends on which courses you pick. The teaching style is noticeably more personal. Because students in the US pay a lot for their education, the whole system is more service-oriented. Professors genuinely want you to succeed, actively encourage you to visit their office hours, and take the time to make sure you actually understand the material. That said, UTD has a genuinely strong academic reputation compared to many other US universities. At least thats something I heard repeatedly from American peers. The focus is very much on education, and that shows. There are also great opportunities to connect with employers, plus many extracurricular activities with events like pitch competitions with huge prize money and plenty of hackathons. I can encourage everyone to do at least one of those. A very important practical tip: always read the syllabus before signing up for a course to know exactly what you're getting into. And from personal experience: think carefully before enrolling in anything with group projects. If you already found group projects painful at WU, in UTD its even worse. It's manageable, but probably not how you want to spend your semester abroad.

5. Every day life in the host country

One thing to say upfront is, that UTD is not a big party school, and it doesn't have major college sports teams. If your dream is the classic American college experience with huge fraternities and sororities, packed football stadiums and Greek life, then UTD probably isn't the right choice for you. That's just important knowing before you go. That said, there is genuinely a lot to do on campus. You have pitch competitions, hackathons, talks from investors and entrepreneurs, intramural sports leagues, two recreation centers with good gyms, pool tables, and a solid student union building. You could realistically fill your entire semester just with on-campus activities, but again, only if you're proactive about it. Reading your emails and actually showing up to things makes a huge difference. Finding your people early is key. Whether that's other exchange students or American peers, having a solid group around you changes everything. Sports, day trips, mobility, hanging out, or going out in the city, all of it is just more fun when you have people to do it with from an early stage. Without that, campus life can get repetitive and boring pretty quickly. On transport: public transit is essentially not an option. Getting a car or at least a ZIP-Car subscription is something I'd genuinely recommend if at all possible. In terms of safety, I never felt unsafe during my entire stay, so no concerns there. One last thing worth mentioning: the campus demographic is quite different from what most Europeans might expect. A large proportion of students have an Indian, Pakistani, Vietnamese, or Mexican background, and some estimates put it at 60-70% Asian students. It's not negative at all, but it does mean the campus culture is quite distinct from the stereotypical American college vibe.

6. Testimonial

What made my semester truly special was the people, the friends and exchange community I surrounded myself with, were the highlight of the entire experience. Beyond that, traveling was incredible: 14 flights, 11 states, and countless cities across the US. And finally, getting involved on campus through events and competitions like the Draper Pitch Competition added a whole other dimension: bringing together excitement, new perspectives, and cultural experiences all in one place.